Masquerades queries

[Masquerade]

Hello everyone. I'm Matt and have just recently purchased the game (two years late I know) and I'm currently trying to feel my way through it, generally choosing to play as the sea-based nations because I just like the idea.

I've read the manual through, up to the grimoire that is, played the tutorial and attempted a few SP games which have each ended when I've begun to feel I'm not going anywhere.

I'd like, if I may, to use this thread to ask questions of the helpful readers among you, more knowledgeable than I in this game, that are causing me to stumble or that I'm not entirely certain of the answers to.

In my experience so far I'm starting to get the impression that the capital province is always 100% magic-site searched, but I'm not certain - Is this the case?
So far, whilst playing as Atlantis EA, spells Dark Knowledge, Voice of Tiamat and a search by a Basalt Queen Prophet have repeatedly yielded no new discoveries in the capital so I'm concerned I'm wasting turns there.

That's actually the only question that springs to mind at the moment but I'm sure I'll need to ask more. Many thanks in advance to anyone that helps, Matt.